Hamlet (St Ann's Warehouse)

See it if you enjoy shakespeare & like it presented in a thoughtful, straightforward manner; also if you are keen on seeing ruth negga's performance.

Don't see it if you don't want to see a woman playing hamlet, are disturbed by a lot of haze & smoke, are offended by nudity, & hate sitting 3-1/2 hours.

Also this may not be a HAMLET for the ages, but it's a beautiful production performed w/passion, spoken w/clarity, & presented wo/gimmicks. ruth negga's hamlet is fully committed from his first entrance ...he weeps, he swoons at the sight of his father's ghost, he rages, he feigns madness, he commands. the set is atmospheric & smokey--filled w/deep shadows, criss-crossed w/bands of dramatic lights, & surrounded on all sides by mammoth black doors. there is a constant unsettling undercurrent of dissonant sounds & music. the costuming is problematic: many of the actors dress like waiters; gertrude wears melania trump's inauguration ensemble; claudius sports a fascistic military suit; rosencrantz & guildenstern look like a couple of brooklyn hipsters; but mostly it's undistinguished & black. the play-within-a-play is staged awkwardly. BEWARE: fortinbras is AWOL (osric as well); no one proclaims "rosencrantz & guildenstern are dead" or "goodnight sweet prince." negga's dane gets the last word.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a master performance by Ruth Negga

Don't see it if you can’t stand overly produced works. An over abundance of lighting, and sound effects, and transitional moments after EVERY scene change.

Also A BRILLIANT performance by Ruth Negga,she was utterly believable, but unfortunately the show dragged. The pacing was so slow, and the violence was hard to believe. The show suffers from too much design.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a great director confront one of Shakespeare's finest works.

Don't see it if You can't do Shakespeare, long runtimes, or want to trek to Brooklyn.

Also This is a long HAMLET. This is a dark, very Irish, very absorbing and clearly-spoken HAMLET by a cast that knows what it's doing. Fair warning: it feels as heavy as the play is - the 3.5 hours do not brisk by but they don't feel like you're in an endless play either. Farber's production is all at once great, timely, with astounding performances by all (Ruth Negga and Aoife Duffin as Hamlet and Ophelia are a wonderful pair, and shout out to the Polonius who is the most cock-headed, and therefore great, Polonius I have ever seen). It's creepy, willing to be theatrical and fun, and downright capable.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to hear and see some of the greatest lines in theater Want to see the talented Ruth Negga live

Don't see it if You don’t want to go to Brooklyn, don’t like Shakespeare Dont want to see same sex kissing

See it if You can get a ticket. Ruth Negga is brilliant and the entire cast supports her perfectly. Yael Farber’s direction is unique and masterful.

Don't see it if Following the themes of darkness and drama in Hamlet will not appeal to you.

See it if you like great performances of Shakespeare; all the actors are great but Ruth Negga is obviously the reason to go

Don't see it if you aren't interested in a fairly straight-forward Shakespeare production.

Also While the costumes and set design imply a more modern setting, there isn't anything radical about this production of Hamlet.... Read more Read less

See it if If you're a fan of Shakespeare-- it's a very true to the work adaptation. Negga really makes you see the anguish Hamlet is going through.

Don't see it if It's long-- 3+ hours as they didn't really cut anything.

See it if you want to see an Ethiopian-Irish actress bring such humanity & humor to the title role (as a man) that she outshines Olivier and Branagh.

Don't see it if you'd be bothered by Ophelia's brief flashing of the other characters and the audience, or by sitting for 3.5 hours (with intermission).

Also although the entire run (including a one-week extension) apparently sold out before previews began, you should check with the theater regarding cancellations, another extension, or any future stagings of this production at other locations in or outside of NYC . If you manage to get seats, sit toward the rear of the theater, so that you can see the 'actors' on the stage, Hamlet on the side of the audience,and Claudius and Gertrude in the audience during the play-within-a-play.... Read more Read less

See it if You like highly designed productions. You like to see actors go for it.

Don't see it if You are interested in the conceptual underpinnings and structure of the piece. Fortinbras completely excised.

Also Ruth Negga adds an electrifying mix of capriciousness and slithering, sensual intensity to the role. Incredible performance by the actress playing Ophelia. The big star is the production and sound design--at times almost to the detriment of the production. Like many of the tragedies, after intermission, something seems to be lost, and the intensity that engulfs the theater like a blustery storm in the first three acts becomes something lighter and less self-aware. Perhaps it is a bit impressed by itself-- the default to vintage gestapo aesthetics is a tired interpretation of Shakespeare. I admit to being extremely underwhelmed by the fencing at the end, as well as the physicality of Negga's performance as the show went on. Either way, a very worthwhile adaptation.... Read more Read less